Representatives from Catholic Social Services Victoria, along with members of Victoria’s various faith communities and political leaders gathered on the steps of Parliament in Melbourne this morning to pray for the people who have lost their lives and for the devastation of land, property and wildlife caused by the recent bushfires. The special multifaith gathering was hosted by the Faith Communities Council of Victoria and the Multi-faith Advisory Group (which is convened by the Victorian Multicultural Commission. 

St Vincent's Health Australia, which is under the stewardship of Mary Aikenhead Ministries - a Catholic Social Services Victoria member organisation - is sponsoring the upcoming edition of Parity, which is calling for contributions to its upcoming March 2020 edition. The theme is 'The Frontline Response to Health and Homelessness', which will focus on the work and role of some of the front line services that are dedicated to providing health care and improving health outcomes to those experiencing homelessness. Deadline for contributions is 6 March 2020. Download full outline, here.

Pope Francis has designated 8th February, the feast of St Josephine Bakhita, as the World Day of Prayer, Reflection and Action Against Human Trafficking, following a request from Talitha Kum, the worldwide Network of Consecrated Life Against Human Trafficking. Australian Catholic Religious Against Trafficking in Humans (ACRATH) has prepared a number of resources to mark this important event and invites everyone to use them to participate, and so help to bring about an end to human trafficking and slavery.

Catholic Social Services Victoria, together with Catholic Social Services Australia will host a forum, Beyond Surviving to Truthfully Thriving: Continuing our Journey of Listening in Truth and Justice, on Wednesday 26 February, 6:00pm - 8:30pm, at the Catholic Leadership Centre, East Melbourne. The forum will draw on the enduring wisdom, strength and resilience of our First Peoples. Through stories, inspiration and challenge we will reflect on the past 10 years of Closing the Gap and see the way forward together guided by the principles of empowerment and self-determination.